Goode arrested, claims he was framed

Lance Goode, who has sued New London police for allegedly planting drugs on him two years ago and using excessive force during another arrest, appeared in Superior Court Tuesday on a new charge that he threatened a man who was staying at his apartment on Dell Avenue.

City police charged Goode, 43, with second-degree breach of peace at about 3:45 p.m. Monday and released him on a written promise to appear in court Tuesday.

Goode stood before Judge Kevin P. McMahon with attorney Conrad Seifert, who is representing him in the civil rights lawsuit along with the Santos & Seeley law firm of Hartford.

“This should be nolled (not prosecuted) your honor,” Seifert said of the new case. “He has a major federal lawsuit pending against the police department and the City of New London. There’s no case.”

McMahon read the police report on the bench and said Harold Remus, 47, is claiming Goode made a “violent and tumultuous threat” against him.

“There is a valid criminal complaint at this time by a live-in tenant,” McMahon said.

He continued the case to July 31 and then said a few more words to Goode, who has appeared before him many times.

“I’ll just advise him, like I’ve done for years, to get out of town,” McMahon said.

Goode’s criminal record contains several convictions for possession of narcotics. In the federal lawsuit, he claims Officer Roger Newton planted drugs near his car during an Oct. 20, 2010, arrest. The incident was caught on a video that was made public, and Newton resigned from the police department.

Goode also claims he was wrongfully arrested on April 29, 2010, and that during that arrest officers shocked him numerous times with a stun gun and smashed him into a wall and onto the ground.

Outside the courthouse Tuesday, Goode said there had been no problems with police during this week’s arrest. Seifert said he had been able to speak to Goode on the cellphone during the incident.

Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard declined to comment.

Goode said someone had told him that the alleged victim, Remus, had made a deal with the police to plant drugs in his apartment in order to avoid arrest for stealing money from his mother.

Goode said Remus had slept on his couch a couple of times, had never paid rent and was not a live-in tenant. Remus could not be reached for comment.